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DRAFT TODAY, POST TOMORROW: Some posts may be in draft status until I (aka procrastinator extraordinaire) get around to posting them.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Camping

I love the great outdoors. In limited doses. I like camping--the social parts and the hiking parts. But I could do without the peeing and pooping in the woods and the no showering.

My husband put in for an elk hunting tag with some others, except that they didn't put in for what they said they were going to so then he got his tag for this unit. Some others he knew also got tags there at that time for muzzle loader hunting, so he talked to them about coming along. We had them for dinner recently; Mick feels like he's really tagging along, so he offered to bring ribs. We ended up making ribs and a pulled pork for his trip. They have a week, and several people were going along for some camping too. They talked me into coming camping for the weekend.

Since he had already gone up to the campsite with his dad, I just had to pack for me and the dogs. It took me a lot longer than I expected and I got on the road later than I wanted. I had a terribly hard time trying to figure out what to take to eat. But I packed some food and drinks (water and coconut water--it's not good but it's good for you) and clothes. And stuff for the dogs. And pillows--he forgot pillows. And I finally got on the road.

I stopped in Camp Verde for gas and a bathroom stop for me and the dogs. I missed the exit for Williams and ended up in Flagstaff. It was getting dark. I got turned back around and made it through Williams. It was dark by the time I headed south so I stayed near the speed limit. Someone was right behind me when I had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting 3 deer or elk. He got off my ass then and turned off soon after. I missed the turn for the campsite. I thought I misunderstood the directions he gave me so I kept going until he called. I had missed it by about 10 miles. Oops. I was so frustrated. I had to hit the brakes a total of 6 times for elk and/or deer in the road as well as twice because Cassi was trying to break down my barricade. She gets so stressed out in the car that she tries to come into the front. I finally made it to the turn where he was waiting to show me the rest of the way.

I won't bore you with ALL the gory details, but I spent 2 nights. The night I got in, I had a salad for dinner followed by some maple pecans. Mick and my FIL went out super early, like 3:30 am, and I had already been up with Cassi once. And then 3 more times before they got back. One of those times, I ate half my vanilla coconut milk yogurt with some Enjoy Life Mountain Mambo "granola." I read for a little until my head hurt and then went back to sleep. When they got back, I had an Enjoy Life sunbutter bar and half my OJ. They were eating cereal--Apple Jacks and Frosted Flakes. (Diabetic and pre-diabetic. Hmm.)

The group decided on a late lunch and snacked on Tomato Wheat Thins; I had Kettle Crinkle chips I brought. For lunch everyone pulled food out: ribs, enchiladas, posole, salad, chips. I had ribs and salad with dressing I brought. I wanted to have posole but she used chicken broth so I was not going to chance it. The ribs were fantastic, of course. Mick had purchased a Jose Cuervo margarita for me and I had it and hung out with the girls for a while chatting.

Can't. Wake. Up.

The hunters went out again for the evening hunt. I went to sleep before the sun went down. I heard them return and the campfire stories start but I was so groggy, I couldn't make myself get up. I woke up several times when Cassi had to go out but he took her out. They headed out later, maybe around 5 am. I got up with Cassi the next time. I had my yogurt and granola and did a little reading until my head hurt and went back to sleep. I decided not to feed the dogs, but gave Cassi a little of the yogurt, hoping it might help her with her diarrhea she had all day yesterday. (Like mother, like...?) I let Teka lick the container and she was so adorable with the little yogurt spots across the top of her nose.

When they got back, my FIL asked if I wanted the rest of his coffee. It was just black so I thanked him and added some coconut milk creamer that I brought. Then he asked if I wanted eggs. I thought, he's probably going to cook them in butter, so I said no. Seriously. That is totally what I thought. And then I remembered I can't eat eggs. I am allergic to eggs. But I'm thinking about how he's going to cook them. WTF is wrong with me? (Besides I'm allergic to eggs.) I had a peanut butter Larabar and the rest of my OJ. I had already started packing the car so we continued after he took some photos of the dogs in flowers. The group was starting lunch, all stuff I couldn't eat, so I had a salad with coconut water and chips and guacamole.

I had gone through about 6 Nalgene bottles of water, and I drank the last one on my way down the mountain. I'm not sure if I would do a repeat of this trip. I like the walking with the dogs part, but I felt gross pretty early on. I took a shower within half an hour of being home. I like the people he went with but I did get the feeling he was treated like a tag-along. That's alright I guess. I'm hoping that he'll get his elk, with or without their help, this week.